As I swept leaves from my garden and put them in bag, I was thinking about our dependence on soils and earthworms. Once all the leaves have fallen from the trees, I’ll add a little water, seal up the bag and leave it undisturbed for a year or two.

I have a childhood memory of being in a meadow; surrounded and dwarfed by wildflowers. Amongst them was an oversized daisy with a sunny yellow centre and bright white petals. It seemed to grow taller than me as it reached for the sun.

As spring gets into its stride, one of our most breath-taking natural spectacles is unfolding. Plants that have lain dormant for months have sprouted leaves and are now sending flowers that colour woodland floors.

The first frost of the winter came as a bit of a shock to me. Even in the office, I have a warm mug of tea, not just to drink; it’s also a convenient hand-warmer. Whenever I visit a nature reserve at this time of year, I pile on the layers of clothes and remember my gloves and a hat